A Heartless Nobody
by KingOuma
Summary: In the locker, Taylor Hebert was unnerved enough that she began to lose herself. She, in an act of desperation, asked for any kind of help. She asked even the darkness that was her locker to make it all fade away. She pleaded with the darkness to make her strong enough to overcome all and it consented.
1. Penumbra 1-1

A Heartless Nobody.

Kingdom Hearts + Worm X-Over

In the locker, Taylor Hebert was unnerved enough that she began to lose herself. She, in an act of desperation, asked for any kind of help. She asked even the darkness that was her locker to make it all fade away. She pleaded with the darkness to make her strong enough to overcome all and it consented.

* * *

I… got the Story bug? I seriously don't know what to make of this. A few days ago I found the Iron Man/Worm Crossover and learned of the world that is Worm. I admit that I haven't gotten very far in Cannon but enough of what I know will set at least the first 2-3 chapters. Most of it, is about Taylor and how it all came about before we start on the week Cannon started. Maybe just two chapters. I got to see how long each is. Anyway here we go!

"Talking" Everyone talking

_Thinking_

**"****Talking" Heartless/Nobody talking/thinking**

* * *

**Disclaimer: The Keyblade was going to choose Riku as its wielder, but he messed up and it then went to Sora. Since I didn't know that before a few weeks ago, i don't own either KH or Worm.**

* * *

Danny Hebert was an honest man. He had to be.

He had grown in a relatively peaceful time for his childhood before the start of the Endbringer attacks, but later with the unfairness of the world dying grew a hardened man with an even more hardened temper. There was only one person he had ever known that could calm him as swift as the match was lit and that person was now dead.

His daughter, had grown up with only him, yet even he knew that he wasn't or couldn't always be there with her. His job took so many hours and was so erratic that he wasn't able to spend the time he really wanted with her.

Then it all changed.

Taylor grew distant, meek, and sad. He could see it all. He tried to know, understand what happened without prying too hard, but that girl had earned a resolve as hard as his temper. She never said anything, and Danny would always thought that maybe she didn't have many friends or that there were some bullies, but with the help of her best friend, she could have the rock he couldn't always be there for.

And it was all a lie.

He wouldn't think about it know. He was an honest man, and honestly if he kept thinking about the truth of it all, he would really kill someone. So he shoved the thought away, instead intent on walking –striding, hunting, stomping, and searching- for the trio that caused his little girl to-

No he couldn't go there now. The tears amassed, but he forced them down in favor or the burning hot rage that seemed to call forth his hunt. They would know what they had done and he would make them pay.

The door to the school was forcefully open by him, his car, outside, parked crossed and practically diagonal to the yellow lines that spaced each vehicle.

He had come home to find his daughter (_), he shook the thought, it would only make him weep and he needed the strength now. Weeping would be for later.

A hall monitor crossed his way, and tried to stop him, but he was not to be deterred and shoved the poor boy away, almost causing him to trip. The boy didn't try again, on account of running back the hall. _Probably to get the teachers to help, _he thought and that brought a whole other can of worms. If he managed to get through reaching the trio, he'd head to the principal's office right after.

He strode faster now, he had paused at every door, looking momentarily at each face, before nor finding his targets and heading to the next door. His gait was larger now, there were but a few door left and he could feel the suspense that he was drawing from it all, kind of like the one when he opened the door to find-

The next door was the correct one, he recognized Emma immediately, the girl's face would forever be imprinted in his mind as the girl that was almost a sister to his daughter. _And now she's betrayed her and hurt her too much! _He opened the door.

"-As such, the New Wave movement was stopped before it could-" the man recognized he had entered and had a wary look. Danny knew it enough from when he called his men over, they always believed they were getting fired and their faces always matched that kind. "Yes, can I help you? If you haven't noticed I'm in the middle of a class."

Danny shot the man a glare that would have melted steel, and the teacher wisely backed off. To the students he could see a few muttering and rumoring already of why he was there and who he was. Others like Emma were glancing at each other worriedly and slightly confused.

Danny strode in, and stood in the middle of the room, commanding the attention of every teen. He might be a man that not many could see as strong or frankly good-looking anymore, but he was known for making even the disordered ones shut up with but a glance.

He steeled himself. The rage from earlier holding just below the surface. He straightened his breath and spoke.

"I hope that every single one of you is proud of yourselves." His voice did not hide the sarcastic tone nor the bitterness. "You who are but the children for the future and whom we all adults place the same future in your hands. It is you who will lead and pushed humanity to better itself. You and every other high school student. Each on its own different ways."

His eyes roamed the entire class. Many, if not all, were staring at him weirdly, and only but a few were sitting straight enough to understand they needed to confirm what he was saying.

"That being said, the ones I see here…" his hands gestured towards them "… I'd ratheryou'd die right now." And he spoke it with outmost sincerity. The class buzzed into whispering and some began to look worried, thinking that the man was a killer. One girl close to the door tried to stand and walk out. "Sit. Down." He practically growled. The girl wisely did so, although scared by it all.

"And who do you think you are?" the teacher finally had the determination to stand up to him, however unnecessary it was.

"I'm Danny Herbert." The class buzzed again, and one girl whispered too loud 'That loser's father?'

Danny heard it, and raged sought to consume him. Practically growling the words he responded. "That loser" the previous girl flinched at been heard "as you say, is my daughter. And I'll tell you something, my girl was a better person than you or anyone else in this school would ever be!"

The class did not talk or whisper back. Some understood what he had said and disbelief crossed their faces. Danny took a second to calm a bit.

"W-was?" a whisper from a girl. Danny looked for the source and found the girl that right now he would love nothing more than to hurt. She also recognized what he said and a few tears were welling up. It disgusted Danny.

"Yes" he almost choked. "I hope you're proud of yourself Emma. The girl that was your best friend, the one that knew you like a sister and welcomed you into her family, my daughter" he bit back a sob "Taylor is dead. And you and your friends killed her."

* * *

_It all began in the locker._

_It always did. Everything that started what I would call the bullying started near my locker. The classrooms were a hall away from the lockers, boy's and girl's on different sides, and doors sturdy enough and thick to not let any sight or sound escape. As such, I always knew that when I entered the room there would be someone or something waiting to happen. Anything else was done very discreetly with no view from the teachers._

_In truth, I had hoped that the terrifying trio had stopped their plans from hurting and bullying me, since before break they had slowed their actions against me. Even a horrible thought crossed me that they had taken to bullying someone else. And for that moment I was very hopeful. How awful am I to even think that?_

_I hadn't been happy in high school. Everyone knew. Every single student in Winslow knew of it, and no one dared to do anything. Not help me, stand up for me, or fight back with me at the injustice of it all. _

_The common belief of those three being the top of the social food chain impeded even the thought of doing something like that. As such I was, by no fault of my own, a loner._

When I arrived at the school on the first day after break, I was too happy with the thought of them leaving me alone. Their hanger-ons would either ignore me or start to mock whisper and giggle as if I was a pitiful sight they couldn't hope but laugh at. I didn't care, they were no more than a nuisance without the trio and as such, I am ashamed to say, I lowered my guard.

My classes resumed even better than it all. Madison barely even looked at me, Emma would glance sometimes and give me an indescribable look and Sophia would have a smug satisfied look. Honestly of all of them, Sophia scared me the most, being the most physical gave me a healthy dose of loath for her. Emma and Madison were but words and cruel moments, but Sophia had this, this predisposition for violence that I, as her prime target, understood was terrifying and worthy of a psychologist's session. After class, lunch and more classes and the end of the day coming close I couldn't but be hopeful of a first day without their antics.

The trio was nowhere in sight and usually I would see one of them close to the locker room, but my break had been so good for me that my senses had dulled. At any other time I believe they would have screamed 'Danger! Danger! Trap! Hide!' but I was too naïve.

As I reached my locker a smell began to overwhelm my nose. It was a horrible, pungent and disgusting smell. I slowed my walk. The girls all around where leaving a great breadth, many holding their noses close as to not smell it and others holding their breaths while looking at me smugly or laughing slightly. My posture began to disappear; I started to hide unto myself. Their whispers were nothing to worry about, but my fears of what was in my locker made me the meek, scared girl I hated to be.

As I opened the locker, the smell assaulted me. It would be better to say that it jumped me and attacked me with its claws by how strong it was.

It was tampons and dirty toilet paper. Old, disgusting, blackened and foul things they were.

I stood in shock. My locker had been vandalized, defiled. The smell was too strong and I began to feel the need to heave, to vomit my lunch, breakfast and last night's dinner all at once. It was all too strong and my need for it made me to do so.

I vomited heavily, some of it going even into the locker.

As I finished heaving a hand pressed itself unto my neck. For a moment I thought someone was going to help me keep my hair in place. That was right before the same hand pushed me _into _my locker. The action left me in such a state that they had even been able to close the door on my face, shutting me in with the horrible filthiness that surrounded me.

The smell was so strong that my brain tried to reboot and understand what was happening. As it did, I heard the strange, cruel laughter that I had missed in the break. Not missed as if I was sad, but missed as that I lost something that I had for a great deal of my time in high school and could only now recognized what it meant. They had made a horrible, cruel prank again.

The locker denied me light, and left me with the utter silent darkness. I was banging now the locker, hoping and begging them to open the door. "Please! Please! Oh god, open! Let me out!" I racked a sob. I wish it hadn't left me, but I was compromised emotionally. "Please Emma, Madison, Sophia, let me out!" the laughter continued for a few minutes, accompanied by their hanger-ons giggling and cruel words.

"Come one Taylor, what are you crying about for? Isn't this your natural habitat?" that was Sophia.

"Yeah, aren't you, like, always in filth and dirty clothes?" That was one of the minor bullies.

"Of course, she is. She lives on her knees every day."

Laughter at the jabs, while I could only cry and plead. They continued laughing and throwing cruel, cruel words at me. They had done so before and frankly I hadn't ever felt their words cut deeply –except for Emma's, hers were the worst. But right now, my defenses, my walls were crumbling. And each one was added to the dirt and filth and blood that covered my body and it _cut. _ They slashed so hard, I bled.

And as I lost my strength, they started to leave.

I don't know how long I was ensnared there. My sense of time took flight in the encroaching darkness. I snorted lightly. _Who knew I could think pretty words when I was tormented_.

By now, I was already too weak to knock on the door, my throat to raw to even whisper. In such, I began to fall into my mind. It was my only haven. To go deep and forget my surroundings. To dull my senses to forget the conscious moments.

Of course none of this was deliberate. I wasn't a cape. Or had years of secret training of the mind arts. My own mind helped with the process. It realized I was beginning to over stimulate myself and sought to provide respite.

My body was failing in responding to my need to escape, my heart was attacked by words and stripped raw, yet my mind protected what lasted. In such, my body submitted, my heart succumbed, but my mind resisted. And to that I was never more relieved.

In a small part of my mind I understood what was happening. Somewhat. I was collapsing unto myself to preserve myself, and become nearly catatonic to the world. My eyes saw as the shadows grew and I felt my touch grow cold. The darkness was enveloping me, and for that I was somewhat thankful. Had I seen my surroundings I imagine it would only drive me mad. Well, if this wasn't, then madder. So I thanked the darkness, in the smallest voice I could conjure all the way deep inside my mind.

I thanked it for helping me feel it all fade away.

I thanked it for helping my mind strengthen itself.

I thanked it for giving me peace.

* * *

My next conscious thought placed me at my home. I didn't know how I got there, but I was kneeling on the floor, heavy breathing escaped me and a feeling of chill slightly on me.

My body fell weak, my muscles tense and I could still feel and see the disgusting, filthy **–feminine hygiene products- **all over me. At the upper corner of my eyes I could see a strange, swirling darkness that was fading away, just inches above the ground.

At the moment I wasn't processing what I was seeing, too occupied with my internal musings. In thought I was wondering why I was so tired and how had I gotten home. I had felt cramped. Like I was in an ever tight darkness **–it must have been the locker, not the outer darkness- ** and not long must I have gotten out.

Not long after, my body finally unbolted and I laid there, navel down, regaining my already weakened breath. It felt like hours, which probably was, before I had the strength to move more than one limb. Dad would be coming home soon **–it is nearly dusk-** and he always did come home at that time. His work was as much as a mess as I was feeling right now, but he was always there for dinner.

I like to think that even if we've gotten distance between ourselves, that dinner was one of the last few strands that held us together. It was where he could forget for a moment about his work and just be dad, and I could forget about Emma and the bullies and just… be me.

So I needed to bathe –multiple times- possibly burn the clothes and make dinner, all before dad got home.

_Great._

Getting up I felt dizzy, so I closed my eyes and feeling the walls ambled up the stairs. Having done this a million times, meant I hadn't had an embarrassing fall on the way up.

Stripping me off, eyes still closed, I got into the shower.

Belatedly I realized I had turned the water to freezing cold.

Just after it hit me, I cranked it to hot, before finding the right temperature. I must have imagined it, but I, don't think I felt the water be that cold. It was like I had known of something much colder and that wasn't it. _ I must still be tired. _I shook my head at the silly thoughts and continued to do my things as I got out the shower after almost rubbing myself raw.

It's weird, for some reason I am a lot calmer than I should be after getting stuck in the locker. _Is it possible I'm still in shock?_

I hurried up with the cooking. The kitchen was a bit of a mess, but I hadn't remembered if I had left it like that this morning. Tidying up as I cooked, helped having it all ready for later so he could clean it all up, as we always did.

Sitting in one of the chairs I waited silently. He would be home any minute, so I wouldn't worry about it going cold. Besides, he'd had called before to let me know if he coming home late. Rare that it did, but it happened.

It was weird. Now that I had a moment to stop and think about what happened, I couldn't help but be surprised for my mentality over it. It was like… an unimportant event. Like something that in the grand scheme of things was just but a footnote in my life. And I couldn't help but worry about not worrying.

I was trapped. Tormented by words, and objects and darkness. By silence, and time and the feeling of my own body and heart closing themselves up. To help me forget, to help it all seem like a third point of view.

I'd like to think that somehow, the darkness was my angel. _An angel of Darkness._ I snorted in delirious humor. In the beginning I was alone, no one could hear me. No one in the locker room, no one in the school, no one in the world. That's what it was. Like I was alone in the world. In the darkness.

I think something broke at that moment **–event- **and I changed. Perhaps I've gone crazy now. I still can't remember how I got home. Perhaps in my loss of consciousness my body went on autopilot? Perhaps it used the last of its adrenaline, its strength and pushed to open the locker. Went on autopilot until it could feel safe at home? It might be funny to return to school and see my locker all broken and clawed.

I blinked. _Clawed?_ I looked at my hands.

They weren't the prettiest hands in the world. They weren't model hands, but they were a girl's hand. Even if my arms were too skinny or long, my hands were somehow delicate. But they weren't claws.

Hmm. Perhaps, I have gone past my breaking point if I was imagining claws on the inside of the locker and my darkness.

My darkness?

Yes, I think it was. For that moment **–event-** it wasn't the locker that carried the darkness inside, nor it was the filth that finally put a stop to my olfactory senses. Somehow it was the darkness that helped me, and I couldn't help but smile at that.

The Darkness had helped me.

Suddenly I heard the front door open, dad as always jumped over the broken stair. Keys in the bowl, and his slow walk towards the kitchen. I saw him now, eyes closed as he shambled into the kitchen. He was tired. And a bit angry, angry at himself? No, at something. And he was so morose. It was a wonder he continued to wake up every day and for the Docks.

I tried to think of anything I could do to help, but the only thing I knew that always gave us breathing room was our dinners, so I did the only thing I could.

"Hi, dad. I made dinner." My voice was slightly pitched. Upbeat. Usually, he would gain from my emotions and I from him, so if one was sad about something, the other would follow in route. So I decided to make the first move at having him feel happy.

He stopped at the doorway. Still as a statue. Kind of surprised, I think.

He opened his eyes ever so slowly, that I thought they had stopped being used for decades. Hands to the side, numbly it seemed and he looked at me like I was an apparition.

"T-taylor?" his voice was kind of numb. And I frowned internally because it was really weird and something wrong must have happened to him. "Honey?" I blinked. He hadn't called me _that _in a long time.

"Yeah?" I continued to spread the dinner across our table while he just stood there, gaping at me.

After a moment, he snapped out of it and almost _teleported_ at me. He hugged me so tight I thought I would suffocate. "Dad?" he hugged me tighter "What's wrong?"

"You're back. You're back." He kept spilling. I didn't understand. He kept repeating and babbling about me being back and missing me so much. He was crying, something that surprised me. He hadn't cried since mom died.

I pried myself off of him. He kept his hands in my shoulders as if I was to escape the moment he let me lose. "Dad? What's wrong?"

He was looking me all over, checking for something I didn't know of. "Are you hurt? Were you hurt? Did someone _hurt_ you?"

My mind when kind of blank with the question. Hurt? Like what…? My eyes widened in recognition. "What!? Dad, no! I'm fine! Really. What would make you think that?!"

He had this unreadable look in his eyes. I couldn't understand._ I knew when he was feeling those dark emotions but nothing about how he was feeling now. And even more how did I know he was feeling that? Was I a-?"_

"Taylor" he spoke very slowly. Like one would do when breaking news. A bit sad and slow. "Honey, where were you?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Because, Taylor. You been gone for a whole week."

* * *

**Author's Note**

I think I'll leave it here. This is the first of hopefully many more chapters or if not, for someone to adopt it. I'm willing to share. I'll even give them my whole idea on how and what Taylor's powers are. And why, the why is very important.

I have most of the first chapters ready in my mind on how they are going.

I don't know if somebody's read my other stories, but I have a slow beginning. I like to put small factors across the intro part of the story so that everything else can happen without the need to explain on it at future chapters and break the intensity of the moment.

Because of it, ill probably have a one or two chapter with her exploring her powers and handling Danny and the school.

The chapters will be close to this number, but it will depend on what's happening and who's battling

So, in any case, read, review and be nice. If you think I did something wrong, don't spray it, say it (why).


	2. Penumbra 1-2

A Heartless Nobody.

Kingdom Hearts + Worm X-Over

In the locker, Taylor Hebert was unnerved enough that she began to lose herself. She, in an act of desperation, asked for any kind of help. She asked even the darkness that was her locker to make it all fade away. She pleaded with the darkness to make her strong enough to overcome all and it consented.

"Talking" Everyone talking

_Thinking_

"**Talking" Heartless/Nobody talking/thinking**

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own either KH or Worm.**

* * *

When he spoke does words, I immediately froze.

His voice was so broken when he said it. It was as if he had searched for me all throughout the week and every day he would lose a bit more of hope. I think he was on his last legs there. When he came home, he must have been so angry with himself, like he had failed both him and me.

After those words he continued to hug me, murmuring thanks to whatever had happened for me to come back. I tried to coax him out of his grip slowly, trying to get him to increase the distance between us. It wasn't that I didn't like my dad, but my memories of hugging always came with mom doing the most of them, and after she died we hadn't been that close to do so.

In this case, I think I feel uncomfortable with how he is responding.

After a few minutes I finally had him sitting down at the table, the food forgotten. There was, not an uncomfortable silence, but more like pressured. It pressed for one of us, to speak out first and I was still reeling from his declaration of my time… away? There wasn't for me a sense of loss of time and what I remember went from one point to another without jumping. The locker **–event-** and inside I… I felt, closed off. The walls of the locker were constricting and the smell suffocating. Maybe I became unresponsive?

At the moment, I couldn't think much about it. Dad was here, too silent and searching all over to see some unseen thing. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and was about to speak when he cut me off before I even started.

"When, when you didn't come home that day, I was worried. I thought that you might have been out maybe with some friends or hanging out, whatever it is you do, so I didn't do much and restless I went to bed." Now he was looking at the table, the untouched coffee in his hands. "I'd wake up after a few hours and go to your room. Obviously you weren't there and by morning I was too agitated to fall back to sleep."

He was taking it hard, relieving those moments a scant few days ago. I wanted to let him take a break, but he continued before I could speak up.

"I went to your school, I was there before the first student or teacher arrived. I'd talk to the teachers and asked if you had gone to school yesterday and if they saw you today that they contacted me immediately." He was spilling it mechanically, shutting off whatever else he was feeling at the moment. For a moment, I had a surge to feel indignity that he would ask others to keep an eye on me, never mind that it was to the useless teachers. "I stayed at the school gate trying to see if I could see you but by the time the bell rang I didn't see you."

God, he looked devastated at that. At that moment I realized that he needed to let it all out so carefully I asked him to continue.

"Obviously I couldn't stay there all day, or I'd be questioned by the police. The forty-eight hours for a missing person to be reported hadn't happened so I couldn't even get them to do something about it. I mean, I had a few friends that could have helped but officially they couldn't do much."

He took a breath and continued. Turns out he called work citing personal reasons and spent the day looking for me. He looked at every place that I had frequented in the last few weeks that I had ever told him I went. Considering those few weeks were Christmas break spent half in the house and the other outside, I'd say he had gone to a lot of places. From the library to Fugly Bob's, to The Market and all around our neighborhood.

"The next few days I stretched out, the police had a look-out for you, but in this city with the Merchants and the ABB…" He must have imagined I was abducted and had things done to me, I imagine that's what produced that earlier question. "They weren't hopeful."

He stopped for a second, and I could see that he was debating with himself about something so I asked. "What'd you do then?"

He looked at me with a guilty expression. "I searched your room for clues." He nearly whispered. And from that I understood why he looked that way. We always had an agreement that each one's room was their own domain, where we could stay and shout our feelings into the air, break our stuff or even cry and the other would wait until the other was out of the room to talk about it. Of course, I being whom I am, any of those things I did, I did when he wasn't home.

To come into my room and search it clean, was our highest violation in the house. And with that I understood another thing. "You found it." My voice was low, but he heard it all the same. My eyes were locked on his face and at his admission I… I felt I should have been angry. To know that my own father found my notebook with the trio's pranks, it should have made me livid and ashamed to let him know of it all. Yet, I believe he was justified. He wasn't looking for it _specifically_ but he found it all the same.

"Taylor, why didn't you tell me?" he was heartbroken, knowing his own daughter was bullied and never knowing about it. To know every single thing that had happened to her –to me in this year and a half.

I stayed silent for a long time. Partly to sort out how should I feel about it all. Disappointed, angry, ashamed, understanding. And partly to figure out just _why_ I hadn't said anything. I know that in the beginning I was… disbelieving of it. I couldn't wrap my head around the thought that Emma had changed so much and would betray our friendship like that. I honestly thought it all a joke. That she would go back to the next day laughing and saying 'Sorry, it was a joke. You know you're my best friend, right?' and I would forgive her and laugh. I'd meet Sophia properly and while we wouldn't be friends at first, we would grudgingly come to respect one another.

And I waited, and waited.

After the first month, I lost hope that she was joking and tried to find out why she had broken up our friendship, unfortunately she was never without her 'friends' and she would just keep gutting me, stabbing me in the back.

Without her as my friend, as my rock, I just let it all happen.

I remember that dad had that big emergency down at the Docks, some kind of accident that had left many of his men hurt. He had spent the vast majority of the weeks after in his office and even if he came home he was too exhausted to talk with me. It wasn't that I felt alone, but rather I didn't want to burden him with my problems. He had enough of his own and as the weeks went by I simply closed off.

"I don't know." I answered instead. And it was true. Regardless for my reasons at that time, I couldn't understand why I hadn't said anything_ now_.

He seemed to accept it, no matter how grudgingly.

"Do you, do you know where you were?" he asked both scared and determined to find out.

I shook my head in answer. "I remember going to school and at the end of class I was… locked in my locker. Emma…" it was difficult to admit it to him even now "Emma and her friends had filled it with tampons and other things" his face turned semi-disgusted with a touch of anger "and I was left alone there. Every girl there saw it and no one came, after a while a think I went into shock. Next thing I know I'm here."

"Those girls!?" he was trying and failing to cover his anger.

"Didn't anyone tell you went you to the school? Surely they found the locker smell?" his head shook barely restrained by his anger. Honestly it didn't surprise me that much that the teachers were that incompetent.

"I was going to go to the school tomorrow." He started. "Christ, I almost believed you dead Taylor and I was going to Winslow to, to…."

"To look for Emma?" I asked curiously. Remembering the strange memory I had of him walking throughout the school, searching for her, finding her in the classroom and scaring all the students.

He nodded. "I was going to speak out, tell them all what I had found. First the students, then the teachers, and if I could the police. I was going to make it all go to the media and damn the consequences, I didn't know if you were dead or alive, but I was going to do what I could as your father, and if it meant that I few heads would roll..."

I nodded at that. It seemed like something he would do. Dad wasn't by any means physically strong, or had the greatest wisdom in the world. He wasn't the one with all the answers, but he was someone that cared. He was the head of hiring and the spokesperson of the Dockworkers Association. He knew how to work with those that wanted jobs, those that wasted their time on the job, the unruly and the problems of the everyday. Even going bald did not diminish the look of respect that came with his position and years. So yes, I think that if it was anyone that could get any kind of attention to the bullying it would have been him. His connections to the city employers and his men would have helped him find _some_ way to get the story out.

Even so what bothered me the most was that I somehow knew that he would do that. Hours before he came home and talked, I already had the impression that he had done so. The question is: how?

"I think I can see it. You would leave the car barely at the doorsteps, keys in the ignition. You'd force open the school door and walk by every classroom, looking for Emma's face." As I kept looking at him, saying my thoughts, his eyes slowly widened. "and you'd find her, open the door and interrupt the class. Obviously you'd be angry, furious at least, and you'd talk with a barely boiling anger and a sadness hinted at the edges." I couldn't stop my words now that I was speaking, it was like I knew what he had felt at that moment and needed to let it all out, what he thought and how he'd do it. I wasn't looking anymore at him, I was seeing through him, seeing the memory **–thought, planned- **play out.

"You'd speak about how disappointed you were with them and how they as the ones that would have a part in the future, you could see now how'd they'd be better off dead, for the better of the city." He flinched at that, not that I particularly noticed. It was at recognition at the edge of my sight. "you'd see Emma at the back of the classroom and her eyes going wide as she heard you speak, and you would see how she understood why you were here. And then you'd take the gun-"

"Stop!" he suddenly yelled to me. He was breathing heavily, eyes wide at me. A disbelieving look and haunted face. Haunted knowing that I knew how it would go on after.

I blinked slowly. Realization came over me, understanding what just happened. Based on the look he had, I had spoken of something he was intimately familiar with. It was something he knew that I knew.

It was something that he had imagined that he knew and I knew.

It was something that he had thought and I knew.

It was something a cape would know.

And now it was something we both knew.

I left right after that. My chair scrapped the floor, loudly reverberating in the otherwise silent room. Dad didn't care to stop me, I imagine too shock for words. I didn't understand what had just happened but I knew that the conversation would be stall for a while. While I didn't feel uncomfortable with how it all progressed the look in his eyes stirred something in me that left me hollow. It was annoying feeling that. I wanted to leave the house. Go out, either to the Boardwalk, or the Market, hell I'd even take going to the library right now.

Suddenly as I was turning away from the room, dad could still see me, I stopped. Why? Because no more than a feet away from me a strange sight appeared. A dark pool no more than a meter on the floor that gave rise to some tendrils of the same kind. None lighter as they reached closer to the lamp, as if absorbing the light. They came together forming an oval shape, vertical pool. It swirled back and forth as if drawing anything close to it into it and nothing could be seen to the other side.

Well, damn. I did have powers.

It was some kind of portal, how I knew I couldn't know. Maybe my powers gave me instinctive knowledge of it, but I hadn't concentrated on it ealrier, I guess I was denying having them at the time. Or I hadn't realized.

A quick look at dad saw him still on his chair. Head down and hands on it. I think I should feel bad about how I spoke out, but I had at the moment another pressing issue.

Turning back to my sort-of-portal, because, really, what else is it? It didn't seem to spew lasers, it didn't move, or give me some sort of powers when I put my hand through it. I admit I didn't care much for the categories of capes –I was always _interested_ but not _invested _on them_-_ and while I knew of the most famous ones either in Brockton Bay or worldwide and some generalization of them, I hadn't taken to care for much else. When you have to take care of homework, assignments, escaping the trio, re-organizing past 'broken'projects, well you don't have much time besides the PHO site for all cape info.

I took a look around it, observing its limits. It didn't seem to grow bigger than my personal space and no taller than a few inches off my head. Every few random seconds a tendril or two would break away from the vertical oval as if catching an invisible subject and drawing them to the portal.

Hmm, I think I should feel spooked or have strange feelings about it. I mean this is a strange foreboding, dark pool. And I didn't where it led to or if there were effects after I stepped in completely. Perhaps knowing it wouldn't negatively affect me was an innate awareness. Regardless I had a dark portal in my home, feet away from dad and in the sake of not having to make him even more nervous with the fact I had this thing here I needed to find away to make it go away. _If_ it could go away.

"Stop. Disappear. Leave." I whispered. Well, that didn't work. I stepped to the side mentally recounting every stop synonym in my mind. Maybe it-

"Taylor, look. I don't understand what happened, but I have an ide-" he stopped. Looking wide eyed at my portal. Turning his view every second between us. Unbelieving. "Taylor?" he warily questioned.

Fuck.

Why do I do? Do I make it seem like it isn't mine? Have it destabilize as I attempt a poor act of it trying to extract me to my own home? Jump in?

"Taylor? Is this what I think it is?" he asked.

"Um." I replied uncertain. "Well, do you see an ominous black portal that's appeared on our living home and seems to become a cape power of mine?" Seriously I could not find a way to make this work for me. Dammit, why couldn't it happen in my room? It didn't help that dad already had an unbalanced frame of mind on what just happened at the kitchen. I don't think it showed how much I wanted to keep this hidden for a time. I know we just had a discussion about hiding secrets for too long, but this was _big, _possibly bigger than the bullying and I don't know how other teens have told their families but based on past experiences I was conflicted on how to precede.

"I- uh" he kept it in his vision's edge. "Is, that how, how you got out?" he sat down on the floor, apparently worn out.

Well, the cat was out of the bag now. I didn't know how to continue with this. It was a bit strange, not knowing how to console him. My feelings were still muddled, or better yet detached. I had an idea on how it would be better, considering past experiences, but it was troubling or at least I imagine it is that I haven't still expressed myself better. Minutes ago, I would have probably exploded, feeling betrayed by him entering my room, or having an episode or showing guilt at how I handled knowing he basically wanted to kill my ex-best friend.

Yet none were forthcoming. I hadn't felt anything about them. Would this mean I would forever relinquish, no matter how involuntary, my emotions? In time become cold-blooded? That I would forget little by little how it was to feel until I became an empty appearance of my former self? Looking at dad, would that mean I would forget my love for him, forget to care for my own father and discard him at the easiest convenience?

It was a hard pill to swallow.

"I don't know, maybe? It appeared when I was thinking of leaving for a while."

"Leaving?!"

"For a few hours!" I placated. "You were clearly stressed and I clearly went out of line, and I saw how you were looking at me and…" my eyes rounded at the floor. It wasn't guilt I felt, as I said, but more of an uncomfortable itch that wouldn't go away. This wasn't making any sense.

"Oh, Taylor…" he kept quiet, for a moment looking lost. It was clear that he believed to be at fault here. It was always like this. Anything that happened at our family, he would take it upon himself. Even mom's death.

"Ok, we can deal with this." He sounded resolute. "First things first. Can you make it go away?"

I frowned lightly. "Yes, I think. But I don't understand how exactly. I've tried every word I can think of that sounds of 'stop'. Both vocal and by mind. It hasn't even flickered." It was undermining not knowing how to control your powers.

Dad kept silent for a while, hands writhing in nervousness, obviously trying to figure out a way. Meanwhile I kept reciting words from the top of my head that would sound near what I wanted.

"Have you tried willing it?" his voice sounded from the floor. I realized that I had spent a few minutes reciting whatever came to my head and considering mom was an English major and she taught me a lot, there were many things I could say.

"What?" Confusion etched in my voice. So that meant that I could feel confusion and amazement and things like that, but not happiness and anger? Or was I producing the emotions based on memory?

"Willing it?" he reiterated.

"What do you think I've been doing?" irritated I said. He flinched slightly at that. Ok irritated was, was it based on the now, or memories? It felt like the now, because I don't think I should have sounded like that because of his question alone. I mean it alone wouldn't or perhaps shouldn't make me irritated. Maybe there was something going on here. As I had thought, the feelings felt detached, not completely there, but barely held by a few strands; maybe that's what it was. I few would pass over at random times?

Great. Now on top of being a cape I had the emotional capacity of a menopause woman.

Trudging past it, he continued. "No, that's not exactly what I meant" he hesitated for a second "you've been ordering it, words to make it stop, right?" a slow nod from my part "Then it isn't the same. Ordering something doesn't make mean it will do it, or the contrary willing it will make it do so regardless of desire."

"Ok." Was my only response, because what else could I say? While he had no clue of how my powers work, as I did, he was the adult of the pair of us, and had the experience on the subject. Indeed I could see his desire? Wish? Feeling on the matter? Had he had the power to will others he would have done so to help the Docks, specially the mayor. Typical dad, instead of wishing powers for an escape he'd use them to help his friends and co-workers.

Turning to the portal, I stared at it. Words weren't coming to mind as earlier, but rather I was filling them slowly with the intent of what I wanted. **Disperse! **

The portal drew down for a second, as if fighting for a second over whether to do so or not.

Almost there. There had to be another word that would fit. Ah. **Dissolve! **Yes! The shadows disentangled one by one, the swirling portal stopping or slowing until it fell out of existence. The wooded floor of my house visible again. I slid down the wall to the floor. Triumph filled me. I did it!

"You ok?" dad's voice came from my side, worried as usual. I spare him a glance before giving a huge grin in return for the question that seems to soothe his worries.

Nodding at me, he stood. "I think that's enough for the night, don't you?"

No I didn't, in fact. I wasn't tired at all about it, nor was I sure that was the extent of my abilities. I could feel it. Lurking close what I could do. So easily to call them forth…

"Taylor?"

I returned his stare and noticed what I hadn't before. Dad was tired. And of course he was. He had been looking over for me all over the week, possibly barely sleeping or eating, and the events of the night have him worn out. I realized that he understood my wanting to continue but he was too tired to continue at the moment and he wanted to be there for me as I continued. I saw it clear.

**Trepidation. His knows capes have powerful abilities and believes I could accidently destroy our house. Distress. It's difficult for him to figure out what I need. Worry. Doesn't want me gone in the middle of the night.**

Well, that sucked. It's some kind of clairvoyance or perception that much I understood. It leaned over to his, well not darker but more negative emotions because while I'm sure he's happy I'm here I didn't 'see' it. It was how I knew what he had thought earlier that much is for sure, but I don't know how it went into a summary of his mental picture of killing Emma. Maybe as I continue to think about him it gives me the most prominent on his mind. I'd do it, but this was an invasion of privacy of the highest degree between us. Even more than he entering my room and while I think it would be a good retaliation motive, my own memories stop me from carrying them out. The Taylor from yesterday wouldn't dream of hurting her father this bad and neither would I.

"Yeah," I replied after a few seconds. Smiling reassuringly to him I got up. "you're right. Come on, I got dinner ready ages ago and I ain't about to let it go to waste."

Dad smiled back faintly and followed me to the kitchen. For the moment I'd follow his desires, I wasn't still completely sure of my responses emotionally to the world and dad was my sounding board. Until I could figure out the extent of my abilities he would be the steady boat on my course. After that, I don't know.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**If you feel that her reading is a bit jumbled it was meant to be that way. Not all capes have a grip on their powers at the get go and not all can understand them perfectly (example, Grue was told by Tattletale that his powers could actually damper radiation, but he didn't know it. And Imp has to keep herself concentrated on **_**not **_** been invisible.) **

**Remember ,to Taylor she had just trigger and not even hours ago at the least to her she was but a simple girl. In cannon she didn't understand right at the beginning what her powers were doing and was actually sent to the psych ward (interlude 1) and it wasn't until she calmed down that she understood. So yes, my Taylor is somewhat the same and will learn all she can do as the days go. **

**Don't expect a full OP character, I took her example on how to behave based on one particular KH character and I had to tone down what I would bring over to the Wormverse. At the moment Taylor is confused on how to act even if she herself doesn't understand it and like cannon she will change on her outlook of life.**


	3. Penumbra 1-3

A Heartless Nobody.

Kingdom Hearts + Worm X-Over

In the locker, Taylor Hebert was unnerved enough that she began to lose herself. She, in an act of desperation, asked for any kind of help. She asked even the darkness that was her locker to make it all fade away. She pleaded with the darkness to make her strong enough to overcome all and it consented.

"Talking" Everyone talking

Thinking

"**Talking" Heartless/Nobody talking**

**Thinking Heartless/Nobody thinking**

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own either KH or Worm.**

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was awkward. Very, very awkward. We danced around each other, around the table as we reached for the food, for the ingredients in the cabinets, for the topics and for the mood. I waited for dad to decide to speak, keeping a careful lid on my powers to keep from intruding upon his private thoughts.

Last night I waited to fall asleep for a long time, and I did… for about three hours. Normally dad and I wake up at 6:30 the latest and I can understand dad waking up a bit later with all that happened last night. He must have his head still spinning from it all. But me? I already knew that my emotions or feelings or whatever were detached and I didn't feel at that moment guilt or worry or anything of the like. It was more of being restless, yet not at my situation. It was more of not being safe sleeping so early at night. As the night turned, I actually felt comfortable and fell asleep. For three hours and then the morning drew closer.

Unfortunately, I wasted most of my time trying to fall asleep so I didn't use any of my powers, not even that one that I had yet to activate. It was there. And I just knew it would distinguish me from everyone else. Like Lung for his transformation or Alexandria for topping all near invulnerabilities capes in the world. I felt it at the edge of senses and I understood I would call forth… something. I called it something because I don't think humans have ever seen something like them before.

On the other hand, I wonder if others cape's powers were like this, tugging at your consciousness and like a puppy asking to be used. It was like that really, but toned down. More like wanting to be noticed and being satisfied with just knowing everything else would come. I don't know how I know this or can even understand what this is actually or if I'm just excusing myself, using whatever it is I'm thinking to make use of my powers, to flaunt them to establish myself as a power, as a player in this grand scale and reach for…

I blinked. Reach for what? It was there. A thought that slipped at every lunge. It was disconcerting to know that and yet I felt satisfied?, relieved? at feeling something. I suspected, in the few hours I was awake yesterday that I would keep thinking and feeling detachment from my feelings for some time. I had heard in the forums and in the many discussions that showed in the media that some capes became different from what they were before being capes.

Some became braver, those in the third-world countries that ruled many places now became despotic –huge difference from their miserable past selves- others antisocial separating themselves from the world and only resurfacing at random times for the oddest of things.

I couldn't quite believe I would continue like this. My suspicions were that I was integrating my way of thinking from my previous self to this new way. Previous because let's be honest, I _am_ changed. I am no longer _just_ Taylor Hebert.

We finished breakfast quickly. Understandable, knowing dad was uncomfortable didn't even require use of my powers. I left it be, it wasn't something to be addressed at the moment. He was probably unsure of how to talk to me, maybe yesterday hadn't fully sunk in.

Afterwards, dad and I left the house on silent march up to the car, we had already planned on stopping by his work. They knew he had family problems -not what exactly- and even if he was, the de-facto leader of the Dockworkers dad could not just up and leave whenever he wanted.

As such, we'd stay there until lunch, dad would take care of any piled up work he may have and then we'd leave. To the train yard was our best for an unperturbed area where we could see the full extent of my powers, unless, of course, the full extent left quite the meaningful traces of what I had been doing. We'd take it slowly. At first.

The car reverberated into a quiet rumble, the old machine keeping a trusty sound as we left the house. Knowing I had a teleportation power made it all seem trivial. I understood why we couldn't just go there with it. While I knew that my powers wouldn't directly affect me in a negative way, there was no way of knowing what they could do to dad. I seriously didn't want to be like that girl from Kansas. She had never taken others with her on her jumps and when an Endbringer had attacked, she took a handful of other capes with her only to never appear with them on her landing. Poor Witch teleported directly between a house and the soil, crushed by the girl's powers.

In the car, I kept to myself. My thoughts on my own left me imagining the many possibilities of what I could do and when not I took my powers for a spin reading out complete strangers. It wasn't either working correctly, not considering I still didn't understand it completely, or it worked in a completely different way. I say this because at difference from dad, all that I tried to read gave me vague if scarce knowledge as we passed them by.

I know it's a break in privacy, but to me none of them would notice or even know I was doing this. Besides, as I said they were strangers to me, none of what I knew from them would affect me directly. It was no business of mine if this man at the car to my side was **resentful** enough to steal from his wife's bank account to feed an illegitimate child or that she was feeling **shamefaced** for something she **secreted** from him.

The difference between knowing more about him was that I kept my sight on him longer. So maybe that was it. Keeping someone in direct view would let me see his or her most negative thoughts. Maybe it would even give more depth into them and what caused whatever they felt, maybe it would even show me their most deep thoughts, their most deep insecurities, and fears.

I'm sure that if I had the connection to my feelings at the moment, I'd either feel completely horrified or gleeful. Maybe. I say this, because based on experiences on having my secrets revealed by Emma was something horrible, yet to be able to do so now… I'm not sure on that front. Would I take to retaliation, for every word they said I would throw out their deepest, darkest secrets for all their friends and the whole school to know? Or would I keep them to myself, knowing with great amusement what were their fears and keeping that as a secret, a weapon to be used only after they went too far? To even turn them against each other and their insecurities, because it's a fact of life that a teenage girl has more insecurities than a hedgehog has spikes.

The drive to his office wasn't long, but I took all I could from it. Each person I passed by I'd glimpse a little into their selves, trying to find the best way I could use my powers, the fastest way I could see what I wanted. It was slow work, but I couldn't complain. Partly because it was expected of it, to learn how to best use it and I wouldn't have it any other way and partly because I literally couldn't complain, complaining meant I'd find it tedious, or boring, or exhausting. I didn't feel any of those at the moment.

Dad's office was a small building at the west side of the Docks. A few streets north-east from the Boardwalk, it had the joint look of an exemplary government administrative building and a government administrative building in its way to poor conditions. You could see it the way the building had all these little pieces of architecture that promoted integrity into the building and to someone a few years ago a bit of awe. Unfortunately, in these and all around chips and cracks exposed the true value of each piece.

The mayor wasn't the biggest fan of dad and neither was he for that matter, but Brockton Bay was, and I mean it in every sense of the world, made and recognized for its work on the Coast. From the trade route, the ships used to use for refueling to restocking, to the yearly fishing expeditions orchestrated by the Association and many more, the Bay was known for it all, and it was _founded_ for it. To dad, the mayor was besmirching it all and bringing the city down, just like he had done for the last sixteen years.

With each year failing to take care in the Docks more and more, the relationship between both sides soured, the workers losing faith by each passing day and the gangs gaining a fraction of those either to weak or in need of work that couldn't otherwise survive in the city. Kaiser's group had a rather large portion of them as it was, obviously all white. Lung rarely took from those Asians that were once workers, partly because they were already working for him in some way and partly because if they weren't he saw them as weaklings that didn't deserve to be part of his gang in the first place.

The Merchants were, ironically, the ones that profited the most from this. They'd come and weave around the strung-out and susceptible tales of how they could gain money selling drugs or working jobs and anything easy Skidmark asked of them. And little by little they would both figuratively and literally drug the person until they couldn't otherwise think about quitting the gang. Merging into the habit and progressively join in on actions that are more… _repulsive_, until they would become just as bad as those dregs of society they once hated. It didn't hurt, that he rarely turned anyone away and you had a gang that gained more members exponentially by the more joined. This was a larger part of why it didn't matter how many of the minions the police arrested, the gangs wouldn't die off.

As we got out the car, I opened my power to those that worked for dad. For rarely coming to his work, it meant that very few recognized me as his daughter, which in turn made me less deterred to their personal thoughts. Besides, it was not like they would know.

Most were inconsequential things; they felt **pitiful, raging** against something in their lives, **resentful** to the mayor or even dad. Some were **Conflicted**, **Judgmental,** and **Cold** on an even bigger lever that I somehow viewed in a scale. I could see how deep the emotions ran, from surfacing (weak) to engrained deep inside (powerful).

The rare few I saw as **Cruel**, **Greedy**, **Hatred** for others of races and what the me before the trigger would consider grave had a dwelling that resided much more intertwined with that person, they were like part of those persons. As I saw them for longer periods, I could see their reasoning and a little of the history behind it. Those few I'd probably indicate to dad later, to keep a watch out for.

The three-floor building had been rebuilt a few years ago after a cape fight got out of control with some remnants of a minor gang and Lung. Naturally, Lung caused most of the damage. It took half of the block's space and had the street in front made a parking just for them. It centered the most workers in the Dock as they were always coming and going looking for any new work to be needed doing. It also centered every office linked to the Docks, even the most flimsy.

When we reached his floor, none were in the immediate vicinity and the cubicle for his secretary was vacant. A questioning gaze from me prompted him to shift uncomfortably for a second.

"Management restructuring." He simply said. In other words, she was fired. That meant dad had to take his calls, manage his appointments, organize his own calendar, and anything else secretaries did. It was a testament to dad's ethic and diligence that he was able to do all of this _and _his own work. Of course, now I understood why he came home so late all the time. He was literally working two jobs at the same time.

I hummed noncommittally while he just shuffled on his feet for a second before directing to his office. It was just past the secretary's desk, marked by a glass window from the middle up; while the rest was made in what I imagine was once some kind of amazing-looking dark-brown wood. The handle jiggled for a bit when he turned the key in, but otherwise opened without squeak or creak.

I don't think I ever came here, in fact, it was possibly just after mom died, dad had some friends take me from Emma's house. I didn't know what had happened at the time, just tossed inside his old office with what I later recognized were pity gazes. Meanwhile, dad was down in the hospital, confirming mom's corpse. Since at the time, the Docks' offices were closer to the hospital and, if possible, the building had many more workers passing by at every second that knew dad, I think he felt I was safer with people he knew that were at the same time closer to his location.

Comparing that one to this one, his new office is vastly different that much was obvious. He had the same style desk that he had before, but with a red mismatched reclining chair that squealed a bit when he sat on it. The walls painted in a clean bone-white color with the carpet a dark gold that highly complemented the office giving it a low-level ceremonial room that I think wasn't made knowingly.

I sat on one of the two chairs he had at his front, it too groaned a bit from the long use it had taken all these years. It was quite comfortable, despite the worn out look it had. Dad shuffled a few of his papers and folders to the side, in obvious attempt to clear anything that would distract him from our soon-to-come conversation. "Right." He looked over his desk, trying to figure something out. "Do you mind?" He pointed slowly at the mess it had. I realized he wanted to do a bit about this first. Unsurprising, really, he had taken many days off.

For my part, I gave him a simple 'Sure' and left him to his devices. Meanwhile I'd have a go thinking what our conversation would be about and while I'm no Thinker I am somewhat confident in my planning-ahead abilities. Besides, knowing dad for as long as I had meant I could see ahead of his running thoughts.

There were but few possibilities on how he would go about this, considering I was a new cape. Suffice to say that none at the moment pickled my fancy, for the most obvious of reasons that my desires were possibly as well as askew as my emotions by my new-found powers. Sure, when I was younger I dreamed of being a cape just like Alexandria, and I mean what girl wouldn't want to. Unfortunately, I knew that while I hadn't activated my main power, there was a certain type of instinctual knowledge that made me understand that I would quite possibly never be spoken within the same manner people spoke of her.

Ironically, I did have two abilities of the same category –since I think this emotion reading is Thinker-based, if I'm not wrong-and the Mover one, but for the last one I'm of half a mind to activate it right now just to see them. One that I, once again, now know intuitively. There are many, yet not much varies. How they look, how'd they'd probably make others feel, I think people would call them monsters, yet I would never call them such, and they can differ in an extraordinary way, their attacks and defenses, their abilities and simple power is amazing and now that I see them form in my mind. I see them small and basic, but oh so misunderstood. I see them older, and stronger, prime. I see them big and hulking, darkness personified. It's all so confusing. A few hours ago, I couldn't understand it, and yet now I can.

On the other side of the desk dad had finished with more than half of his work.

Was it as I imagined? Was my brain finishing rebooting from the locker and my powers emerging? It had been no more than a day to me. Giving me time or maybe adapting me to my new personality is progressing enough that I can call upon images of them. Rewriting my emotions to stop myself from freaking out or cutting them off for that exact reason seemed like a warped reasoning. It could stump me in the future, giving me indecisive moments were I'm not sure of what to do, because I don't know what _I_ really want to do or what I would have once wanted to do.

Which it all came back to my feelings, my very self, and my thoughts and I noticed how introspective I'd become in so short of time. In reality, before this I didn't have that much to think about myself, truth be told, while I raged against the world quietly behind my mind I also pitied myself then, yet I never thought this in-depth before. Is it now because it is a matter of my heart?

I hummed to myself in quiet contemplation while dad gave me a quick look questioning if I wanted something before dropping back into his paperwork.

I guess I could live this way as it is. It would be strenuous in some cases, not having my emotions on my sleeves, but not everything is rose-colored in life and not everyone has a heart of gold as I have learned from my powers. I imagine that if I ever entered the cape scene the world wouldn't turn out to be as beautiful as it is painted.

On the other hand, what would I do then? As a cape, what would happen? I don't understand my own self, my own powers yet and here I am, seeking some deeper meaning to my life. The thought made me snort. I certainly don't need to become this introspective at the moment, that's for sure.

So forgetting about matters after my own heart, what I needed now was a plan of action. I needed to learn the cape scene as it is, that was a given. Luckily, the world had gifted unto me the PHO. The Parahumans Online Forums. They gave everything from News, to Rumors, and interesting enough they gave a brief description of the active capes, whether villain or hero, somehow if that person had been in any kind of cape involvement that wasn't shrouded in red tape, like Ellisburg, then there was something to be known from them.

Now, living in Brockton Bay all my life, I knew of the most prominent ones, Armsmaster, Miss Militia, and Dauntless for the heroes and people like Hookwolf, Lung, and Kaiser for the villains, but I needed to know more from them. Their powers, their limits, how or for what are they known for, that sort of stuff and the Forums was the place to find it most–if not all. So after here I needed to go to the internet, research, research, and oh!, research. These people could come for me, or dad. To hurt me, or my allies.

So knowing who or what, in those strange cases were they were more what than who, could come after me trying to take me out was good.

Next, I think I'll need to exercise. I don't think I have a power that gave me perfect physical condition, and while I have my teleportation, I'm not stupid enough to believe that someone couldn't be fast enough to get me. Besides, that I don't know if being personally on the field as it is, would be my style or more behind the shadows. In which case, I would need to go running. It would greatly help keep up as it and if I do it by the mornings I can scout different parts of the Docks and get the layout. Well, on most days, because when you have a teleportation power who'd want to run in the same place every day.

Annnddd I need to get a better grip on my powers, learn my limits and all that. How far away can I actually stay away from someone to get a grip on their negative emotions, the everything for the portals and all my creatures, I think the last one will be the most important one. What are they? Or at least, what can they do?

But, first… I needed to have a talk with dad.

After finishing his papers dad took a minute to calm himself, his every manner exuding the confidence he presented to his workers. Internally, on the other hand, I knew how he was. **insecure- **_**Does not know how or what to start with.**_** Anxious**- _**to stop procras-**_

I didn't go any deeper. It was an error on my part, having it activated by accident and I had already promised myself to hold it back on dad. He was the only one at present that I could believe wouldn't cause a ruckus, wouldn't turn me over to the authorities unnecessary; that I understood wouldn't stab me in the back and had an earnest desire to help his own daughter. I didn't trust dad to always make the right choices, the past years having abundant examples but as long as dad didn't betray me I wouldn't do anything against him.

No that's wrong, I don't think I will do anything even then. Just yesterday, I reassured myself that I wouldn't forget the love I had for dad, even if at any moment it disappears. _Especially_ if it disappears. Mom was dead and while now I couldn't mourn for her as hard as I used to for her love and caring attitude, for showing me all the wonders she had and shaping me into a great being, I could mourn for what she represented and shaped me as. I'm sure that had they been switched our conversations and our family's overall relationship would be extremely different.

"Er, hmm" He coughed a bit loudly shaking me out of my musings. "Taylor?"

"Yes?" My response made him cringe a little, but I don't know why.

"Look, Taylor. This isn't easy for me, you know I'm your father and I love you. And I've been very understanding in everything you've ever needed." He continued to ramble. "But this is a first for me, and I don't know how to help you here, ok?" A threw him a comforting smile which he gave back and spoke a bit softly after taking a breath. "But I'm you father and I love you, so I'll do what I think is best for you and what's safest for you, because no father wants to see their children hurt" Too late about that. "because of that I wanted to talk to you, I wanted you to understand and have a discussion with me, because even if this is something we haven't done in a long time I feel this is right."

Honestly, this was going fine as it was. Dad was taking out his worries and frustrations about our family relationship but that didn't matter much to me in it all. With how he is so confused on the subject, I could coax him in my direction, to stay anonymous and develop everything to do with my powers. Afterwards I could choose what to do with them.

I offered another smile as he continued to pour out his feelings on the matter. I had half an ear listening on what he said while on the inside I was trying to figure out how to do it.

**Frustrated- **_**with the conversation/ doesn't believe I'm really listening.**_ Ah, shit. I straighten and gave him my most focused gaze. The emotion faded. Damn I wasn't trying to do that. I guess I have less self-control than I thought. I'm going to need to train it. Another thing to add to the list.

"With what you've done, well I stayed all night thinking about it… and well I tried thinking on what you could do with them." Oh? This sounded interesting. "I mean, it isn't much but I think it can do you good." He sounded a little embarrassed there at the end.

He gave me a piece of paper with what I could see a small list of those things. It was obviously a failed first attempt at it, since he was just guessing at what I could do, which was a bit strange because we had already talked this morning about me practicing them later in the afternoon. But, no matter I'll play along.

…As I read, a frown marred my face and my eyebrows crunched perplexed. This, this… what was he thinking when he made this? Apparently, dad saw my face because he quickly asked what was wrong.

"Dad" I started out slowly. "I don't understand, why give me this?"

He furrowed his eyebrows, obviously perplexed. "I don't understand, Taylor. I know this isn't what you probably want, but it's what I think could be best for you. This" he pointed at the paper "is what I came up."

"Yes, I know that." I replied a bit testy. "What I don't get is why you gave me a list of so… mundane things. I mean, 'Law enforcement, Detector –for what, by the way, I don't know- Personal travel, Attorney…" and so much more that I was actually surprised he was able to fill out most of the list. The thing is, what he wrote… I saw it the moment I read them. He didn't want me to join the cape scene. Not even the Wards. Which I could understand, the PRT promoted a safe environment for the teens, a place where they could train their powers, and help controlling those that were too destructive. Yet, many knew that they sometimes participated in more danger that the Protectorate heroes ever were. I mean, just last month Kid Win had a run-in with Hookwolf that nearly resulted in his death. If it wasn't for Vista…

"This is something you can do, Taylor. This is something safe, something good." His word full of conviction barely gave me pause because this wasn't something I wanted to end up doing. He wanted me to barely use them, and if I did to do it from away as possible from fellow capes. He wasn't fooling me here. This wasn't something I _could _choose to do, this were things I had to choose _from_, because he didn't want me to do anything else.

And I get it, because he's my father he doesn't want me in danger, but he's also got to realize that I long ago stopped caring about what he'd do in my life. He was a somewhat good dad, but he wasn't perfect and while I understood his job took him away from home most of the time, that also made me vastly independent. Something I may have to speak out to him about.

I sighed. Truth was I didn't know how I could make him understand that. He still had the idea of his little girl from two years ago, of a girl that still had her mother and could take any problems in her way. In reality, I always took my problems to mom, because she understood me better and dad had possibly never realized that.

"But it isn't something I want. Tell me the truth dad. How much was this for my comfort… or for your?" I laid it out a bit harsher than I wanted, but it got the reaction I wanted. He winced ever so slightly and I knew I hit the bull's eye.

**Conflicted-**_** about telling the truth. **_My eyes widened in disbelief, before narrowing in mild anger. He took something from it because next I know he is accusing me of using my powers on him.

"Taylor!" he yelled, breaking my concentration on my readings. **Unhappy-**_** I'm digging into his privacy.**_** resentful-**_**I'm using my powers on him.**_

How dare he! This wasn't about him. This was about me! He was trying to push in a direction I simply didn't want. And he has the audacity to feel like that. I'm using my powers because of him, because I couldn't get his reasoning, because there was something he was hiding from me and I was right. He wanted to **manipulate **me, to control my future, to control my powers, and the times I used them.

Well, I wasn't having any of that! I was about to raise myself from the chair to, what I could later only believe was fight over it, when the door opened. A man came running in, a bit of sweat on his brow and highly alarmed.

"Danny!"

"John? What's wrong?" Dad began to rise from his desk alarmed by the sudden intrusion.

"Oh, it's bad. Outside, the Merchants are outside! They're threatening our boys and waving guns and things like crazy!" the man was getting a bit desperate if his nervousness was any indication.

"And what are the guys doing?! They know the drill. Get to cover. Don't confront them. Wait for the police and don't be a hero! This is basic stuff, John!"

"I know that, and they know that, but the thing is Squealer and Skidmark are here! They somehow got one of her trucks invisible and blocking the building's entrance! After that Skidmark had them corralled and next I know they have hostages!" The man was full-on hysteric now. It amazed me somewhat that I wasn't feeling anything related to fear from the situation. Of course, it was to be expected if my powers did in fact cut me off from them, but when you live with something for over fifteen years and its suddenly gone… you expect more, I think. In my case, this was somewhat lost when I couldn't exactly feel the despair from it.

"Damn!" Dad cursed. "And the Protectorate? How long until they get here?"

"I, I don't know. Some girl from the first floor called them up, but I don't know how long."

Dad was now pacing furiously in his office. This was serious business. It showed me a different side from dad, the Dockworker's leader, the man that continuously fought for his men and women to give them better jobs even when all hope seemed lost to them. In some ways, I wish I saw that type of dad in my life. At least, a few more times…

He was muttering now, spouting off half-baked plans and reciting emergency actions for dealing with villains. I stood up, from my chair and while dad was distracted ushered the man out of the room, reassuring him a bit and proposing that he get the rest of the workers and proceed to barricade or hide in the building. I think he was confused as to whom I was to give him orders but since they were good rational things to do, he didn't fight over it and went away.

Entering the room, I closed the door back, this time locking it off too. What I didn't count on was it sounding so loud dad cut off his pacing to look at me.

"Where's John?" he asked cautiously, why, I don't know.

"I send him to help downstairs, barricade or something, he wasn't doing much here."

Dad nodded to that, mulled it over by a second and continued pacing. He took a minute to reach for the phone, but I guess it was disconnected because he hung up right after. I on the other hand, was working up this idea in my head. It wasn't the best of ones I had, but it was something I felt would be a good thing to do.

"I'm going down there." I immediately said, making dad crash into his chair and look at me in disbelief. We both knew what it meant; because it was the exact same thing he didn't want me to do.

"What?"

"I'm going down there" I repeated firmly. This wasn't something he could stop, he'd try, of that I have no doubt, but I knew I wouldn't fold in this. Right now I had powers, powers I could use to help the people downstairs and while I didn't know if this is what I truly want, at the moment is what I think is correct.

"What? No. No! You are staying right here! I won't have you place yourself in danger!" I wasn't listening, already willing my powers to form the portal to my side and to take me a block away from here. On the way here, I had seen a side alley wide enough for my portal. Dad was already rounding his desk, firmly set on catching me. I stepped once and had just enough time to feel dad's **Sadness ** before my view went black.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Finally I finished it! I am so sorry for the delay, but I got sick for a whole ten days, with a high fever and other stuff I got from this thing called ´Dengue´ in Puerto Rico (I don't know its name in English). And while I really tried to write something some off it came off weird and when I got better, I was actually thinking 'Whaaatt the hell is this?' and deleted a bunch of stuff.**

**I'll be honest it didn't end the best way I wanted, but I got the point across to where I wanted in the story and –hopefully- gave a better explanation on Taylor's changes. It isn't all figured out for her and things will get complicated.**

**Incidentally, I realized midway in this chapter that I gave her powers that could be related to all three types: Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed. I was like 'Shit! What do I do? because originally she was getting a different power set, and while it doesn't change the story it was a mild freaking out moment for me. **

**I'm going to be updating next my other story: The Wizard Bearer which might take another week or so, as such expect another update in two weeks or less. If I don't have one by second Sunday pm so I can get a good kick in my ass and finish it up.**

**So Read and Review.**

**Your King,**

**KingOuma.**


	4. Penumbra 1-4

A Heartless Nobody.

Kingdom Hearts + Worm X-Over

"Talking" Everyone talking

Thinking

"**Talking" Heartless/Nobody talking**

**Thinking Heartless/Nobody thinking**

**Disclaimer: So did I have to delete **_**my whole laptop**_** because the stupid MacAfee cock-blocked me? If so, I don't own KH or Worm.**

* * *

Once I stepped through I realized that what I had at first thought as pure darkness, was by a simple mistake more of a dark purple. A dark purple that could actually be confused for black at first sight, but the longer I gazed the more I could differ between it and what was apparently the true darkness as a color and as a force. It was everywhere, whatever everywhere was because I had for the life of me, I had no idea where I was.

There were no clouds, just an empty black sky that seemed to stretch forever and like a pool so deep you couldn't see the bottom just so it was, that nothing below the 'surface' of the sky was visible. Not even stars. Whatever passed for clouds here was obviously not in sight, instead all I saw were these thick purple currents of some sort of wispy, thin, and murky… substance. It was in the sky, in the air, on the ground and just all around me, but just different kinds of diluted and somehow all of it was visible to my naked eyes. The ground, in contrast, was actually rich-looking for whatever must have passed as water or nutrients here, yet the few trees I saw at a distance away looked strangely wilted. Almost to the point of starting to die and yet not quite there. Very eerie.

In my case, if I believed the few ideas my brain was sprouting, then this was sort of my in-between. The clause in the use of my teleporting that said I couldn't actually jump just from one space to the other. I had to step into here, and then create another portal to the outside world. Thing is, this place is really interesting, and I was beginning to think it might just be either a predetermined space or a whole dimension. Personally? I really want the latter. Ugh. It was frustrating not knowing anything more.

No. that was wrong. I sort of knew. Like a thought that's at the back of your head and you know you are thinking something about it but just can't get it forth. Whatever this actually _was_, I was beginning to form my own ideas.

Powers were mostly never straightforward. Some took time for the capes to fully come to them because they were so diverse and defying natural laws that the capes had to actually stop believing in what others thought was the norm, because to them, it wasn't.

For the moment, I concentrated on my past -even if they are two- experiences on opening the portals and **willed** my portal to take to the back alley I originally wanted. It wasn't as hard as the first time closing the one at home, even, if I think about, not knowing how it came to first, and with dad I was somewhat distracted in my thoughts to even understand if I had done it right. This, now that I think about it, was probably how I got here.

Easier than I thought, it came to and the portal appeared just as the first times and I already knew it landed where I willed it. Looking back, I gave one last look at this place, trying to memorize it to perfection for the next time, and step through.

Immediately the smell assaulted me, rotten garbage and dead animals were apparently the norm in this alley. It all seemed infected with bugs and rats, not a proper or the best place to appear in, but it was enough. A quick peek at the entrance showed that everyone must have somehow either been alerted, or heard or saw what was happening and got the hell out of here.

I shrugged to myself, as I planned what to do next. It was good, actually great, that no one was going to be near me and see what I was about to do next. At any other time, I would have flipped out, or even possibly puked for minutes for what I was about to do. Luckily that was but a minor inconvenience, what with my third power. Besides seeing whatever deep, dark thought people had about, well, everything, I had my emotions shut down. At first, I thought it would actually be permanent, but when my last power came to just now, I understood what it was actually for. I think of last night and this morning as more of a beta, a pre-taste of what I was to go through, which was close enough to the truth. My Thinker power for the emotions was for both sides, with the messed up things I saw in people it helped me keep my cool, no matter what I found, and for the other…

I crouched down near a dumpster, the smell so strong it made me gag, but I kept a lid on it, and focused. The bugs, the rodents, the animals and whatever the hell was under and inside of it where more or less within my range, but just not there yet. Muting my **Disgust**, I thrust my hand under it and came into quick contact with one of _them_.

One was all I needed, apparently, as they all quickly connected and I felt more than saw as each of those little, itty, bitty hearts **fall** under my control and transform. They weren't much, just simple beings that together would be _just _enough to create. As such, I wasn't all that surprised of what came forth.

Bats.

Or its closest affiliation. They had tear-dropped shape bodies with those black bat wings that made me think of them, yet instead of just ending they fell down and curved off once again into sharp heel-like legs that they use to perch themselves on a wall shelf, and sort-of crawl. Bright yellow beady eyes and some kind of blue veins around them with these diamond shaped mouths whose sides stretch all the way back to the wings were what I noticed the most as they took positions everywhere they could land and turn their heads to me. They were small, no more than a feet and a half, but nonetheless, I smiled.

Because, it worked, because whatever doubt I had about what I had was gone, and because I felt something indescribable when he and his fellows came to be, I smiled. Smiled even wider when I saw the few in the air that couldn't find anywhere to land fly around and clash and crash against each other while distracted. I laughed a bit until they were all finally just dangling all on perches under their fellows. All around me just waiting for me. Looking for my guidance.

I knew what I had done, understood what had actually been done with those creatures and felt as a thousand unwanted thoughts raced across my head on what could happen if it was just a bigger **Heart**.

Immediately, I ruthlessly crushed those thoughts. There was no time and no reason to think about those kinds of things and I didn't want any needless reason to mute my emotions any further on the subject. Regardless to say, it was gruesome path to take.

I felt as if I had to say something, to commemorate their creation, but nothing came to mind. It felt oddly disappointing, so instead I thank them just for answering my calling, however dumb it sounded, and for willing to follow me, to head out on my orders, my will, and my wish. As I had done with the portal, as I did with my emotions, I **willed** a few to clutch my clothes and lift me up. The rest to follow. I didn't use the portal, because I wasn't exactly sure what would happen once they were out of my sight, or if I could even have them go through it, so for now I'd play it safe.

Their heel-like claws were oddly dexterous and strong gripped. Just but five took me up and over the ledge to the building closes to my dad's and letting me down gently on the otherwise rough roof pavement. I had them all land on the roof, no need to ruin my element of surprise, crouched and looked over.

The sight I saw made me grimace. Dockworkers, grunts or otherwise, span across the lot, all either cowering in subservience or unconscious. The unpowered Merchants were patrolling irregularly with bats, pipes and really crummy weapons, some -and this were the truly dangerous ones- had some type of machine guns that as they passed most of victims would sometimes hit a few, mocking and jeering at those that were a ways away from the rest. I saw some women being taken behind a few containers, minutes later they reappeared, with glazed eyes, a half content smiles and the all too obvious syringe marks. Drugged and defenseless they were taken to the back of what I believe is the ugliest truck I had ever seen.

Raising over fifteen feet tall met my sight, with thick rusted metal plating with jagged edges covering most of the body. Mounted machine guns all over the rest and some type of hatches on the top side with whatever surprises it had inside. I realized, belatedly, that this was a modified cargo truck, what with its container actually more glued and shut tight than welded to the truck itself. The tires were big and burly pairs of five, that spanned on both sides from front to end with thick sharp drill spears sprouting from the rims as if it was a chariot. A double reinforced glass for the driver seat and below I could actually see the engine from all the way up here since it was actually without a top, just contained by rising walls that had air vents so that it didn't overheat -if I guessed correctly.

If that wasn't a sign of how fucked up Squealer must have been while making that, then I don't know. From what little I gathered over the years about Tinkers was that their items, their ideas, their projects were so advanced that things like overheating and over-processing didn't exist in their language. To see her creations need such things…

I shook my head in disbelief, even so, it was no matter to me how awful she must be with her powers, if anything it helped me and added to my few advantages.

I had an excellent overview from here and I didn't plan to waste it, standing a bit away from the ledge I gathered myself and focused. It was a slow advancement, something I don't think I was really noticing or if it was it was part of my imagination, but it was _slightly _easier this time to will the bats. Maybe it was because this time I had a previous experience, yet I forced the thoughts to a corner, entertaining only what I wanted, what I willed my bats to do.

With no sign of Squealer or Skidmark I took the advantage and got ready.

They rose to the air, no cries, not even their wings sounded off. My orders were clear, attack, distract, make them retreat. Anything to make them _go away._ I think that had I been on the other side of my colony, I'd had been scared shitless. The Merchants, as drugged out of their minds they were, were having a _slightly scarier experience._

In a scant seconds, their terrified screams filled the air as the colony _dived_. The ones with pipes and the like, were swinging wildly, mostly missing. My creatures -constructs, whatever- took carefully fixed chances, with two or three grasping their shirts by the backs and lifting them high to the air. I didn't want any of them to actually die, so I made them scare the druggies and then to let go less than ten feet in the air. Some fell on badly or weirdly ways, effectively making whatever chance they might have had of escaping with their crews abolished.

The ones with machine guns were an entirely different matter. With the wide sprayed shots of their guns many took grazing or even troubling wounds, because while it seemed that the bullets weren't actually enough to kill them, they had enough penetration power to weaken them. By now, I was growing nervous, my mind was going a miles away trying to grasp back control of the fight. By accident I had my powers deadened my emotions, calming me completely and giving me back that oh so precious breathing space to plan out.

With it I gained knowledge that I wasn't certain where it exactly it came from, whether from my powers, or… my creatures. The thought had some complications that once again I couldn't think about at the moment and was promptly shuffled away with the other ones. I grimaced, it seemed that many questions where already gathered in my mind and I hadn't had my full powers for more than an hour.

The bats, danced and weaved through the small openings they had, all the while a few took positions. Lasers. Freaking lasers. They had goddamn freaking lasers. I laughed out loud about the absurdity of it all while -with what I can realize is tactical planning on their part- the bats take pot shots stunning and lowering their numbers.

It's by no means going great, but I cans see that the bats are starting to overcome the thugs. With so many injured or fleeing, it's only a matter of-

"What the fuck is going out there?!" The back of the truck slammed opened. I couldn't see the insides from here, so I had to wait for the voice to come out. Low and behold, out came Skidmark. the Merchant took one look, one look . I could see he's eyes going wide and for a second I think he broke. Or maybe that was just he'd adrenaline-addled mind. Either way the idiot turn back to the insides and yelled out. " Get the fuck back in there bitch and start this shit up!"

There was some yelling from inside that I didn't understand and she shouted back. " Don't make me come in there. We have enough of them, get this motherfucking truck started!" Whatever the response was I didn't hear it because I turned back to my colony watching how they were doing while I was distracted. Amazingly once the workers realized I wasn't planning on hurting them some got brave enough to attack the distracted Merchants. I gotta feel a little bad for the junkies, the Dockworkers were men that had jobs were they just lifted, heaved, and did so much exercise only possibly two out ten were only muscle toned, while the others were heavy set men.

Like linebackers the workers tackled those dopeheads so hard some actually lost consciousness when they hit the floor. I don't know if they were killed or what, but I found out that I wasn't particularly feeling like caring at the moment. Emotions muted and all that.

A rude, horrible engine started and I realized that Skidmark was making his escape. Cursing for my inattentiveness I rushed to the edge, already a pair of bats coming to my side. I really needed to name them differently, just calling them bats seemed underwhelming. Whatever, I'll do it later. With two not being enough to successfully fly over to the next building, I more or less jumped as hard as I could, the bats using that energy to give a push and glide me to the next roof. Obviously, I landed hard. Rolling sideways, I took a few seconds to check I wasn't hurt before sighting over the edge.

The few Merchants able-bodied carried their friends to the truck, some were even left behind without remorse, and when the truck tooted those that were rescuing their friends just dropped them and ran after it! Unbelievable. Shit, if it left right now I had no way of rescuing the women. If the PRT had already being here -and where the hell were they?- I would have just left it to them and gone back to dad. I had what I wanted, the mook were leaving.

But now, now I had to decide. Would I, could I, leave it to the authorities? They weren't here, heck I couldn't even hear them; if it was like this, by the time they arrived Skidmark would be long gone with his new hostages. The heroes and PRT would probably give chase but with such a huge lead I don't think they'll catch them, even more so when Squealer's machines were out here.

It wasn't my fight anymore when they left, heck barely hours ago I was still trying to decide what I should do with my powers, how could I help out or even possible become a hero. Then this happened. And I admit that I just jumped in, without a care of dad's feelings or if I was even remotely prepared for them, but it was like a nudge, something that told me to do it, to fight Skidmark and show him up, it was both exhilarating and disturbing and I held a nagging suspicion that this was how many capes started out. Not being able to control their powers, they started using them indiscriminately -or in the hero's cases in vigilantism , and looking for something to relieve their stress. Because that was something else I had had all morning, just being a bit jumpy, restless, with my Thinker power all the time on, as if it was checking for any type of hostiles. This wasn't what I wanted, not at all, but if someone else couldn't do it, or weren't available then…

Looking around, I searched for something, anything, that would make it easier for me to track- aha! Down there, between some cardboard boxes a dog was crouching, hiding, I imagine, from all the noise. It was cruel, unnecessary cruel, but if I had been better prepared then I might have not to do this. One of the bats, as if reading me, flew down and scooped the dog, its yelping and howling and whining reaching my ears as it rose.

Even now, I could feel how I should be negating this, crossing my hands in terror because it was something… something simply too horrible. It was a distraction, as well, one that I couldn't take, because those women, whether they knew or not, were counting on me. When this was finished I would let it all out, everything, from the disgusting insects that I can still on my hands, to holding a dog, one I imagine had been on the streets, possibly left by its master, or even just growing up since birth in this environment all his life, and now I was-

The dog whined once more, as if feeling something about me that terrified it, perhaps it felt what I was going to do, or it simply knew that now that a human had it in its hands its life was forfeit, whatever the case the whining died down, as I dived deep, deep down into what I wanted. I felt my powers reaching out and changing the dog to my specifications. No, not exactly. to something similar, yet at the same time all the more valuable.

Like shadows coalescing, the dog seemed to grow darker, it snout coming undone and its legs folding. Darker and darker it became until like the world between my portals a purple so dark it turned into black seamlessly. It, for there were no words for what it was any longer -not a dog, not a truly sentient being- jiggled and bounced for a second before stabilizing. A spherical shadowy globe, a **Shadow Glob **I found myself calling it. It seemed the perfect name for it.

Thoughts of my accomplishment for later, I turned to my bats, to which I still couldn't find a name for, and willed them back into formation. A few that I had in the sky came flying down, they were somehow the best ones at flying from what I could see, none of that minor awkward movement some had, and prepared them. Two to take the **Glob** and the others to protect them from incoming fire.

Like a squadron they rose in perfect synchronization. I watch as the two holding it, fell to the back and the others position themselves in such a way that they could protect them from harm and still be able to watch between all the bodies to the front. It was impeccable, really and none to foreboding, but I didn't hold it on, whatever it is that they are, they were still under m will, I still control them. If any moment it wasn't the case, then I would port them away, to that dimension or whatever I had and never open it again. I wasn't fully comfortable with this, to throw away my powers, but I wasn't going to endanger innocents for my sake.

It seemed that Squealer was actually smarter than what I gave her credit for. While the truck rode off the gates the machine guns, unmanned and unprepared by my knowledge, turned and twisted high. Like homing targets, they open fire in a perfect shot to my bats. Too bad for her they were smarter than what _I _gave them credit for. Immediately after they saw the turret move they changed course, gaining speed, and swirling uncontrollably. The turrets might be able to actually hurt or even kill my bats, but they were a tad too slow for them, whatever mechanism she used, it was either too slow or outdated.

Eventually, some valiant gang members -or too stupid to disobey orders- got up the roof and join the firefight. On my hand I kept my distance, jumping every few buildings with the help of a few bats and keeping a clear sight on it while trying to hide and position my portals so that they weren't seen when the distance between was too large for me to successfully pass unseen. I did this forgetting my thoughts on what would happen if I wasn't present to control the bats but when I appeared back it was with great relief that I saw them still in pursuit.

Any cars or pedestrians in the way had to swiftly move their asses, some were probably going to get hurt and I couldn't turn back and help but as I sent a few ahead of the truck it gave some -but not all- enough time to move their friends, families or those close enough out of the way. Whatever car in Squealer's way veered off and crashed into the sidewalk. The bastards weren't caring for even property damage or civilians. In most cases, villains rarely terrorized innocents or even hurt them too badly, at the most just taking a few hostages, because if they did the heroes would come down on them all the more harder.

The truck was gaining speed, with whatever Squealer was doing to it, and my colony still couldn't drop the Glob. the turrets might have been more spraying fire than actually targeting now but the junkies were actually laying in wait and somewhat predicting the colony's flight path. Not enough to cause damage or lasting injuries, but the bats had to be careful lest the Glob fall out of their grips.

We were already heading to a rising intersection heading out of the city and if they passed by it I wouldn't be able to hide until god knows when. Chancing it, I had the other choice but to cause a distraction. This time jumping several hundred meters ahead I took a handful of the bats and passed through a hastily created portal. When we did I felt as if the bats had something happen to them, I don't know what but I somehow felt it changed _something. _It didn't do anything immediately but I took no chances and hastily stepped through the other side.

Sighting in relief that the bats didn't _seem_ different I had them prepare. The truck was still on track and unless they turned at the next street before mine my plan could work out. Watching, waiting, I crossed my fingers hoping they didn't. Meanwhile, the squadron was finally rounding in position waiting for my move. When the truck passed the street without turning I let out a small sigh before grinning.

It was Showtime.

My collected bats on hand flew up in the air and went to down the middle of the road. I believe that the driver must have already seen them so I didn't waste time for tactics, instead once it was close enough I used scare tactics.

The bats flew directly for the front glass, and as expected the driver panicked. They weren't hitting the truck but rather passing inches of its touch and scaring whomever was inside into swerving. The thugs up top turned to the front, maybe to shout at the front, but once they saw my impromptu colony bash they fell to the roof's floor heeding their friends experiences at the Dockworkers association and holding tightly to whatever they could.

Obviously, I wasn't about to take any of them off it. It be problematic if the fall kill them. But it did what I wanted. With both sides distracted and the turrets swarmed and unable to take precise shots, the squadron flew down at the truck. Directing themselves to the back doors and effectively hiding from the non-visible rear view mirrors, the two holding the **Glob **flew even lower to the truck's underside and planted the **Glob**. Once it firmly attached itself with its non-existent suctions cups they drew back and wit their fellow brethren and the ones I had taken took off in the opposite direction.

Success!

And just in time. With the intersections open space it seemed like the bats were giving up and the truck sped off, my powers keeping in contact or range with the **Glob** as its special ability left me and the bats a clear traceable signal. I knew where they were heading off to, they believed they lost me, and I got the perfect surprise element. They would probably lower their guard, celebrate and laugh about my incompetence, while I would gather more bats and possibly… yes those could work, I would forge a plan and find their base of operations. I'd strike when they were most defenseless and I'd get my dad's coworkers back.

Now, all I needed was to wait.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Whoo, yes! Got it out. And none too soon. For those that didn't know, my laptop crashed and locked itself out with something to do with its Encryption Key (Stupid MacAfee showing up when no one downloads you and fucking things up).**

**Evidently, I had to remake the whole chapter and I feel that in some parts it might fall apart but all over I like it. **

**Thanks for waiting and I hope you liked it. If you see any errors or something you think is wrong don't hesitate to PM. I don't want future readers to feel it suck because I wasn't good at this or didn't learn from comments.**

**Thanks again, and don't forget to read my other maintained story: The Wizard Bearer, in whici Harry gets the Omnitrix instead on Ben and the Wizarding World learns of aliens (not really, Harry hides it.) I'll be updating that one next with its third chapter and his first fight against a Vilgax droid. **

**The Haunting will be after that one, but I plan to make that one a 3,000 word per chapter story or so, so it won't take long. If I hurry it up, the next update for this one should be by next weekend. Not this one, the next.**

**So Review what you like and let me know, **

**Your King,**

**KingOuma.**


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